Mississippi Pork Roast

Square side shot of a Mississippi pulled pork sandwiches on a plate.

5 from 4 votes

A 5-ingredient Mississippi pork roast with a ranch and Italian dressing dry rub. Roast in the oven for crispy bark and fall-apart tender pulled pork, or use the Crock Pot for hands-off ease. Perfect for sandwiches, tacos, salads, or a big-batch Sunday supper.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Southern

Keyword crock pot pulled pork, mississippi pork roast, pork shoulder butt recipes, pork shoulder roast, pork shoulder roast recipes, pulled pork in oven, roasted pork shoulder

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 4 20

Resting Time 30

Total Time 4 55

Servings people

Calories 622kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Roasting pan with rack

Ingredients

1 (4 to 5 lb.) bone-in pork shoulder, also called pork butt (boneless works too)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 (1 ounce) packet dry ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
1 (1 ounce) packet Italian salad dressing mix
Barbecue sauce, for serving (optional)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Optional, for a Mississippi pot roast twist:

6 pepperoncini peppers plus 2 tablespoons brine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Place the pork fat side up on a wire rack inside a large roasting pan (line the pan with foil for easier cleanup if you like). Drizzle the pork with olive oil and red wine vinegar; rub to coat evenly.
Sprinkle both seasoning packets all over the meat, rubbing the seasoning into the pork. If using the optional pepperoncini and butter, scatter the peppers around and on top of the pork, pour in the brine, and dot with butter.
Roast the pork, uncovered, at 425°F for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°F and continue cooking for about 4 more hours, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 205°F. If the pork feels tough at this point, it needs more time. Collagen takes hours to break down. Keep roasting and check again in 30 minutes.
Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Let it rest until cool enough to handle, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Use two forks to shred the meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and serve.

Notes

Crock Pot method. Prepare the pork as directed and place it in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or HIGH for 6 to 7 hours. You won't get crispy bark, but the meat will be very tender.
Cook to temperature. Pull the pork at 205°F for fall-apart texture. If you pull at 200°F, the carryover cooking during the rest will finish the job.
Fat side up. Always roast the pork fat side up. The rendering fat bastes the meat from above and the surface caramelizes more evenly.
Boneless versus bone-in. Boneless pork shoulders cook slightly faster than bone-in. Start checking the internal temperature about 30 to 45 minutes earlier.
Sizing for a crowd. A 4 to 5 lb. pork shoulder feeds about 4 adults. For a larger crowd, size up and add roughly 45 minutes per additional pound to the cook time.
Add brown sugar or paprika. A tablespoon or two of brown sugar in the dry rub gives you a sweeter, more caramelized bark. Smoked paprika adds color and smoky depth.
Storage. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat with reserved pan juices to keep the meat moist.
Mississippi pot roast twist. Add 6 pepperoncini peppers, 2 tablespoons of the brine, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter to bridge this recipe with the buttery, briny flavor of the classic beef version.

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